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Monday, March 4, 2013

Say no to Mini Eggs!!!

Good Afternoon,

I hope everyone has an excellent Monday. We celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday at school today, and the kids had a ball! Many of them dressed up as a variety of characters, adorned in hats, mittens and bow ties. Needless to say, we had fun and analyzed a poem while doing so... who knew that was possible?

More importantly, I want to discuss temptation with you folks today. Lately, I am finding food temptations EVERYWHERE. I'm not sure why, but I am hyper aware of the Easter candy on the shelves at the supermarket, drug stores and in the faculty room at school. I am the first one to admit that I adore treats, so these sweet sensations are luring me in, and its tough to always say no. Today I resisted temptation three times (almost). I said no to the free sample donut they were offering while I ordered my morning coffee (via gift card of course. I refuse to pay for coffee in the shop).

Next, there were delicious, soft- baked, chocolate chip cookies available for the taking in the front office at work. I skipped over those as well.
Last of all, I stopped at CVS on the ride home to grab a few greeting cards, some suncreen, and I caved. My favorite candy of all time, Cadbury Mini Eggs, were on display and looking more scrumptious than ever! Not to mention, they were on sale !! How could I resist their hard, sugary coating and smooth, decadent, milk chocolate inner layer?
I didn't.
I bought them.
... and before I had even left the store I had consumed 10 eggs. ;(

photo rights: Courtesy of Candyworld.com

I panicked and threw them in the parking lot waste basket. I lost control. I couldn't stop eating them. They are irresistible and contain enough fat and sugar to last a life time. A few bad choices were made here, and I should have known better.
1) I was hungry (almost 4pm) and the drugstore, filled to the brim with candy and packaged snacks, was NOT the place I should be unarmed with a more balanced alternative to snack on while shopping. (ie almonds)
2) I bought the big bag, not the individual one portion bag. I bought it knowing it would eat more than I should, but didn't care. Temptations and treats happen, but moderation is essential. I should have settled on the little bag.
3) I recognized myself losing control, which is good. I knew I wouldn't stop so I just threw them out. Yeah it was a waste of $2.50, but hey... what's $2.50 in this day and age ?

Hummus
Onto the world's best Hummus.... Last week my students celebrated a culminating activity, involving food from the country they studied for a recent project. One girl studied Iran, and brought in homemade hummus made from her grandma's recipe (it is important to note here that she is actually from Iran. ) Her mom was nice enough to make me my own batch! I am still working on it, since I froze half initially. This stuff is incredible, and filled with fiber. The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients4 garlic cloves2 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed (this gets rid of the salt)1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)2 tablespoons water or liquid from the chickpeas8 dashes hot sauce2 TBS olive OilDirectionsTurn on the food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop the garlic down the feed tube; process until it's minced. Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and process until the hummus is coarsely pureed. Taste, for seasoning, and serve chilled or at room temperature.* I have made similar foods in the immersion blender, if you are lacking in the food processor department.Questions of the day:What is your "gateway food", otherwise known as a food you just CAN'T resist or stop once you start?What is you favorite candy?As far as gateway foods, I have a few! I can't resist pub cheese, baked brie or ice cream (got dairy?). I also LOVE birthday cake, Cadbury mini eggs and peanut butter M & M's. Although I love these treats, they leave me feeling very lethargic after consuming them. I like the affect of what healthier and more balanced foods have on my body, so I try to enjoy the above options in moderation. (moderation is a key word here)

About Me

Hi I'm Jeanie and welcome to Breakfast for Dinner! This blog simply charts my meals and exercise, as well as other fun and inspiring activities I partake in. My hope is to inspire others to adopt a more healthy lifestyle, and to gain camaraderie and confidence along the way. So visit and comment often, and enjoy what you read. If you don't enjoy something, TELL ME!!! I love to get readers' feedback.